Ichimaru Origins
by foxfacegin
Summary: Self explanatory title. My version of how Ichimaru got to where he is today. I try to be true to the origins but there are modifications. What are Gin's hopes? Fears? Loves? Ambitions? Many familiar faces, RanxGin.
1. Chapter 1

Insert usual disclaimer here.

My version of how Ichimaru got to where he is today. Comments and suggestions welcomed.

Chapter 1: Hungry

The seven year old with silver hair waited behind the bushes. In his sight was a fox and the animal was finding the dead rabbit left outside quite tasty. A couple of minutes ago, the birds were still chirping. Now the silence was deafening. And the little boy, with the silver hair, closed eyes and plastered smile could not be more intense. But the face revealed nothing.

The little boy was a duck; he's calm on the surface but paddling like crazy underneath. See, he's had his eyes set on this fox for quite some time now. Why does a little boy of no more than seven need to go out and hunt on his own? He is in Rukongai meaning he is quite dead. Souls are among many possibilities when in Rukongai; they could be scared, they could be relieved, they could be lost, they could try and do what they can to feel alive because death is foreign and unknowable. But hungry? That's never the case.

Well, rarely. Hunger is for those with reiatsu and spiritual potential. Under the right circumstances, someone with reiatsu will go on to be a death god. Right now the little boy just want the right circumstances for lunch. The odds are double or nothing. It took him forever to catch the rabbit, if his weapon misses his mark, he'll lose the rabbit. If it hits home, he'll have food for a couple of days if he rations it.

His weapon of choice was a rope dart. He was too small and weak to use a knife effectively. He could throw it, but that means he'll be weaponless. The rope solves the problem of being too close beaten down, and the rope gets him his weapon back. The other bonus of the rope is it is silent as it strikes, very much like the snake, his favorite animal.

-Crunch!-

The weapon skewered the fox's hind leg as it went for the seemingly free lunch. The animal yelped in fear, pain or frustrations, but nothing could save the fox from being lunch for this little boy. He yanked the chain and the weapon dragged the soon-to-be-dead fox with it. Messy, but a victory is a victory. The little boy with the silver hair got his meal, but unfortunately the sound of the trap attracted two predators of a different sort. Even in the afterlife, the share of scum and garbage that will rough up someone different and seemingly weaker, is in no short supply.

"If it isn't the freak!"

"Whaddaya got there, foxface? Turned to eating your brother, devil?"

Two boys, in a couple of years, will be two hardened thugs flanked the silver haired boy. One was holding a pitchfork, the other just holding club that looks like a primitive baseball bat.

"Freak? No' I'm no ya teacha o' nothin but that's not nice."

"I'll show what's nice, when I run your scrawny ass through with my pitchfork!" And Pitchfork charged. The silver haired child jerked his weapon to one side, freeing it from the impaled fox. With a twist the opposite way, he sent the roped blade flying back to his hand. Unfortunately, Pitchfork was in the way and the knife's handle struck the back of Pitchfork's head. A third yank of his arm and he's holding the weapon, ready to strike again as fit. All this was done in five seconds.

"What the hell did you do, foxface!?" yelled Pitchfork. He dropped his weapon and clutched the back of his head. His hand came back red.

"I co' sho ya 'gain if y'want." The silver haired child snapped his arm to Blunt Club. The blade pierced his throat cleaned through. "Skewer the punk, shinsou." said the silver haired child quietly. And the grin widened. Blunt Club tried to gurgle something, probably a curse or a plea for mercy. It mattered not.

"Y-yo-you're not natural!" Pitchfork turned tail and ran like a horde of demons were behind him.

"I'm not. And tha name's Gin Ichimaru." said the kid with the silver hair.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Favorite Animal

Usual disclaimer

Not so usual disclaimer: While I could hold my own watching anime and stuff, I am not good with the titles or spellings in Japanese vocabulary so my characters with the exception of Ichimaru(the story's lead hero who is in a league all by himself in speech!) will sound like a bunch of Yankees(what they called white people in Samurai Champloo's baseball episode.)

On with the story...

Ichimaru Gin was not a well adjusted human being. Far as he could remember, he always had one health condition or another. He was an albino, someone with insufficient skin pigment to tolerate normal light. It made his pupils red and also extremely sensitive to light too. He remembered the lights being too bright and he remembered a really kind, well endowed lady that nursed him back to health despite his many ailments. Everyone else seemed to either fear the pale kid with the wide smile or outright hate him. The nice ones would just stay away from him. But strawberry blonde lady from that life long ago? She was the nicest. But that's all in the past. It's not like he'll find her in Soul Society.

"Ichimaru!"

"Yeh, teach?"

"It's yes, Teacher!"

"..."

"Ugh, anyway, why were you absent for a month? I tried to contact your foster family but they claimed you were with other relatives!"

"Ya' dun see lil ole me?" He held up his arms to show how emaciated his is. "Got sick, ya' see. Jus got better yesterday."

That was almost the truth. He did have a foster home when he first arrived in Soul Society. However, all the members of that little home made minimal contact with the little boy. They were decent enough folk, despite the fear, they sucked it up, got him to the local school. They did not even mind that he had to eat once in a while. But when he started eating more and more, they left the door open. The foster home did not kick him out, but if he chose to just get up and disappear one day, no one would object either. Like what he did a couple of months ago. Shortly after that, the fights began.

"Alright class, before lunch I had each of you go out and pick a favorite animal, tell me what it is and why you like the animal. Who wants go first? Little Mikey?"

"My favorite animal is the doggy. The doggy is smart, plays fetch and bites mean people!"

"Alright, very...multi-functional. Anyone else? Linda?"

"I love pigeons! They are everywhere, they fly and they poop on my neighbor's garden."

"How...spiteful. Thank you, Linda. Anybody else?"

And so the answers come in a similar nature. Dogs. Cats. Fish. One even said platypus.

"Okay, everybody went. Wait, not everyone. Ichimaru, did you find an animal you want to talk about?"

"Remembered me, thas' good. Ai gotta 'nimal no one else mentioned. S' tha snake. Quiet, hides in nice spots, no readable face, konda like me, and when it strikes, strikes fas'."

"I am sick and tired of this creep! Why does everything have to be hidden and sneaky for you? You're a weirdo and you piss me off! Does a snake strike like this, pasty!?" A fist flew from the kid beside him. -CRASH-

The action was over as soon as it started. "Mad" Jerry, the class bully was lying on the floor with his chair knocked aside and desk fallen over. Books and papers were scattered about. In a motion as smooth as fish in water, Gin took Mad Jerry's punching arm and brought it down. The rest of the momentum was provided by the attacker. The aftermath was a still smiling Gin holding Mad Jerry in an arm lock and sitting calmly on top of him.

"Oh an' teach, snakes ar' ac'rate wit' where they strike too." His smile brightened a little more as he nudged a little to the side, hyperextending Mad Jerry's right arm. He squealed like a little girl before Ichimaru let him go.

The rest of the class proceeded as normal. As the sun started to set and the children learn a little more about what the afterlife is to relay to their foster families, the children were dismissed. Education runs in the reverse you see. Children are more malleable, easier to shape mentally and thus, have fewer qualms with death whereas most adult souls, in particular those who were cut down suddenly and traumatically, have a harder time adjusting.

"Ichimaru, could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sho', wha's goin' on, teacher?"

"Your behavior concerns me."

"Oh?"

"It seems like everyone wants to get into a fight with you-"

"Tha' who' class saw, Mad Jerry was ou' fo' blood first, teacher-"

"That maybe true this time. But haven't you gotten into a lot more fights recently?"

"Oh? Ya' dun say?"

"I do say, Ichimaru. I'm serious. You have to watch yourself. I know you like playing in the woods but two weeks ago, there's a known trouble maker stabbed through the neck. Be careful."

"Ah will, ah will. Gess' mos people dun like how ai look. Dun like happy people li' me."

"You do look different, Ichimaru. How do you see with your eyes closed all the time? And that smile, why?"

"Ai'z jes a simple guy, teach. Ai got the sight, ya' see? Dun nee' ta open 'em eyes. Ai ken see, I'm happy. Bein' happy, ai smile."

The teacher saw he was going nowhere with this child. She would like to help him, understand him, but there's no digging deeper with him! Other kids you could read like a book. This child, there's no getting through, no penetrating the mask of his closed eye and plastered smile. "I hope so, Ichimaru. That's all."

"Bye-bye!" And Ichimaru walked off.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Crashing the Party

Even though the funeral was recent and the mood is somewhat somber, most everyone is happy. This is the 70th District of South Alley Rukongai. While it is not the coldest nor the most dangerous part of Rukongai, it is one of the poorest and not a place to be when night falls. The local noble recently passed away and the very generous Daichi, the noble's only son, threw a lavish party a few days after the funeral.

There was food to feed the whole district and the only cost for this is for a troupe of people with spiritual power to perform some kidous, which in turn is a gesture to get himself launched into local politics as the town magistrate. So for one day, everyone is fed and most people are happy. Ichimaru is of course, among the masses, even had two knapsacks ready to be filled with food. The salted fox and rabbit pieces he made from the last hunt were almost gone and food was in short supply.

The first performance had a huge boulder hauled in for him. "Thanks, Jidanbou!" says the performer on the platform.

"No problem!" he called back good-heartedly as he stepped off.

"Ladies and gentleman, all of you just saw the famous Jidabou, one of the four gatekeepers of Sereitei struggle to lug that lump of rock on to the platform. I could show you the extent of my spirit power and send this boulder flying back to whereever it came from! Prepared to be amazed!" broadcasted the performer.

With a cocky look and a step forward, the performer thrusted out his right arm as if to push the gray boulder. "Destructive Art 1, Sho!" The force of the push was directed toward the bottom of the boulder. The result was the boulder being airborn twice the man's height. The man shunpo'ed to beneath the boulder and just when he was about to meet his maker, another Sho was cast, launching it like a missile.

The crowd cheered and clapped enthusiastically. As the man started to bow, a shadow started to darken. The boulder was falling down again, this time with exponentially greater momentum.

"BAKA!" yelled a disgruntled famale voice. A flying elbow came from left field and sent the guy bouncing out of harm's way but not without a hit and a couple of hits first. A girl with spiky blond hair in two pig tails, red gym clothes and sandals stood calmly and closed her eyes. "Destructive Art 54!" she opened her eyes and raised her arms. "Haien!" Her hands glowed purple, followed by the rapidly falling boulder glowing the same purple. A second later, there was a shimmering and the boulder vaporized like a freshly slain hollow.

"H-hi honey, wow, you're...energetic today! What are you d-doing here, hehe?"

::Bulging vein:: "What am I DOING!? YOU GOT SOME NERVE!! You told me you were getting wood and coal for the fireplace, what the heck are you doing here!?"

"H-honey, don't be mad, figured w my abilities I could make some quick cash and-"

The girlfriend's sandal collided into the male performer's face. "Don't honey me, you're in deep trouble, mister! After tonight you'll WISH the boulder got to you before I did!" The irate witch dragged her better(or in her view, her worse half) off the performing platform by the ear as he is wailing in pain and crying. "Someone help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-" And the angry lady shunpo'ed off with her hapless significant other.

The audience was in an uproar of laughter. They expected lots of flash and glam, which was entertainment nonetheless but with the spontaneous humor, this became a pleasant surprise. Even Ichimaru with his constant expression loosened his plastered grin to a more genuine article.

The MC stepped up. "Wow...that guy's gonna have explaining to do at home." Laughter. "Lots of couch time. And chocolates." Even more laughter. "Well ladies and gentleman, that performer was suppose to go on for quite a while. Anyone want to impress us while the next performer gets ready? "

Ichimaru's smile became a toothy grin. "Ra' here!"

What no one knows is that there won't be a next performer. As the focus and attention was on the stage, a man with a calm look, wavy brown hair and glasses dropped bits of round white crackers around the stage. A moment later, the air in the forest behind the crowd shimmered and numerous beings with white masks and holes where their heart should be slithered into existence.

----

Ichimaru Gin was on fire. The rope dart he carried around with him, he replaced with a seven pound fishing weight, turning the usual piercing weapon to a beating weapon. His first stunt was a set up of thirteen hanging vases. Each labeled with their numerical character and with the Sereitei's respective squad's insignia. In four swings, each hitting three of the vases. The remaining one was the one marked "three" with a white sun insignia in the center and black and white diamonds surrounding the rays.

His next stunt was to duel any fighters present. The whole lot of them were not even able to get close to him. The first couple he caught them squarely in the chest with the rope and fishing weight. When Ichimaru saw that the people he's facing were not worth such safe measures, he became creative and sent the fishing weight flying past the opponent just to loop the rope around the opponent's leg, tripping them. With another, he knabbed the guy's knuckles making it painful to punch. Finally, one man with small pupils, spikey hair and a death stare flexed his muscles and as if an invisible barrier was generated, the group of human opponents with no reiatsu were blown away. He leapt right in sword swinging. Ichimaru was able to rope the sword and snatch it out of his hand but the fist that follow caught Gin squarely in the solar plexus. Before the muscular man with spiked hair could deliver the volley he had in mind, screams pierced the air.

The crowd dispersed chaotically. The screams got louder and closer then died suddenly as a blood chilling bone crunch stopped all screaming like a knife severing vocal cords. Ichimaru barely got a glimpse of what's responsible before a jaw of sharp teeth and a forked tongue blotted out his view and his world is black.

------------------

Author's notes:

The two comments I received are greatly appreciated but more would definitely make my day. This chapter required a bit more thinking than the others, but I hope it paid off. Anyone able to pick up the characters I introduced?

I know some people want to see Rangiku already but I promise I'll get to her soon.

Anyone good with Japanese out there? I'm making up Ichimaru's bankai, it's called "Rally the legions." Someone could get that to me, it'll be great.

Thanks again for the support thusfar.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Time Stood Still Part 1(What Matsumoto saw)

It was a devil's bargain in the first place. Daichi's father took advantage, not of her, God no. The guy is almost blind, in a wheelchair, and frail enough to crumble to dust upon any contact. Still, the guy was filthy rich and the goons that work for him are even less pleasant than him. So when he struck a deal with Matsumoto Rangiku, she was ears. Because the alternative is worse.

"I know you're one of them hungries. Not too many people like 'em hungries. You're different. And that means people won't trust you. Will hate you."

Matsumoto did not say anything. She hated who she is. Why couldn't she just be a normal, dead person, with a soul minus the hunger?

"And blind as I am, I could see you're coming along as a very well-endowed young lady. And there will be those out there that have other ideas about those endowments."

"Look, you have a proposal, propose it already you old geezer." shot Matsumoto. In a different society, probably with a different group of people, her really large breasts would get her far. Here in one of the poorest parts of Soul Society, they'll get her raped. Or killed. And if she's lucky in, that order.

"Ooh, rawr. Cat's got claws!" The old man grinned an ugly one with missing teeth and the few remaining were yellow and turning brown and held up one hand to imitate a paw. "Whaddaya say you let my son forge something of his own in that box of yours? We're rich, we'll protect you, and most of all, we have all the food you want."

Rangiku was speechless.

"Sleep on it. Haha, I made a funny, sleep on whether or not you'll let my son sleep with you." And the old man cackled sadistically as Rangiku left the room. How far would she go to not worry about her life anymore?

-----

A feral snarl broke her daydream and inner conflict. Rangiku quickly left the cellar that she was supposedly trapped in. She was assigned to clean the cinders in the furnace, easily her favorite chore. When she really focused, she could mold her spiritual energy into the form of a cat. If there is dust or ash of some sort, she could see the cat form from such material, especially in ash. In the beginning she could shape the ash into a cat's face. After a lot of concentration and practice, she's able to have cat head go from the flat two dimensional plane to three dimensions with density, form, etc. Rangiku has been alone for as long as she remembered. However, the times that she thought about the cat that appears in ash, she felt safe, guarded over.

But right now, that not-from-this-world snarl she just heard is sending her packing. She'll explain herself later if that's what it comes to. Matsumoto Rangiku does not want to die in some nobleman's cellar.

What she saw outside made her blood run cold. It was a whole tangle of hollows, evil spirits that were once human souls now in the form of snakes with the trademark white masks and holes where their hearts should have been. And they are hungry, very hungry. Their prey was a really skinny kid with pasty white skin and a grin that did not waver in spite of such adversity.

Matsumoto's eyes widened in horror as this kid would be a goner in one second but that was not the case. In fact, the kid seems to be enjoying this phenomenon very much with his rope dart. One hollow was especially vicious and went for his face. On the last second, the kid ducked as the serpent sailed behind him harmlessly. The kid ducked, sidestepped, rolled, jumped, did whatever he needed to do to not be bit. Every so often, the strange weapon the kid carried, that rope dart, would shoot out and hit a hollow's mask, shattering those dreaded white faces dead on mark each time.

The kid was having too much fun. One of the hollows in frustration of not being able to get to the silver haired boy saw Matsumoto and now she is the meal of intent. Matsumoto told herself to run. RUN, you stupid girl, move! But she couldn't budge, she was paralyzed. No, no, NO-

-------------

She was whisked away to another dimension. The place resembles the cinder-filled fireplace she always cleaned but this place is HUGE. This place resembled a savannah with its plains and the occasional tree except everything is made of ash. Matsumoto walked around and after what felt like five minutes, an overwhelming exhaustion took over her body. She half-collapsed under one of the trees of this ashen dimension. What she did not see was a really pale snake entwined around one of the branches. As Matsumoto caught her breath and felt her eyelids grow heavy, the serpent's tale dropped as light and silent as a feather. When the tail was right behind Rangiku's neck, the tail went from limp and relaxed to tight and focused. In less than a second the tail was around Matsumoto's neck!

"NO-" Rangiku gagged and struggled with the serpent's tail. As she did that, a lynx materialized in front of her.

"Stupid girl. All that power and you still put yourself at the mercy of others!" growled the cat.

If she was able to speak she would have said what power, I could not even draw breath!

But that was enough for this strange being to understand. "All that power and all you manage to do is draw stupid pictures in the fireplace. You are some piece of work!"

Somehow, despite lacking oxygen at the current moment, Matsumoto had it in herself to be angry. Okay, what the hell do you want?! Cut the cryptic crap and just say what I need to do because I am apparently too dense to pick it up-

Her thought was interrupted when she realized her angry thoughts interrupted this talking lynx. "-is my name. Call it and claim the power that you have been born with." The lynx looked at Matsumoto with exasperation and shock. "You can't be serious could you? You get distracted now of all times? You're killing me here! MY NAME IS... "

-------------

"HAINEKO!" In her hand was the handle of her zanpakuto but the blade became the ghostly ash-cat that she has been calling most of her life. This was no mere house cat but the lynx she saw in that other realm. The big cat let out a roar that turn the most hardened warrior to a blubbering coward with wet pants. On the last second, instead of the snake hollow subtracting a face from Matsumoto, the ash cat pounced on the evil spirit and with a bite, sent the hollow on its way to purification.

Temporarily safe, Matsumoto relaxed. Then the toll of not eating the past three days caught up to her and she blacked out.

------------

"There, there. So ya gottit too?"

Matsumoto's eyes opened. Looking down at her was the smiling kid with silver hair. "Ya gottit too?" repeated the kid.

Matsumoto was confused and tried to say so but she was just too weak to even do that. "Here have somethin' ta eat. S'nah much though, just some preserved rabbit." Matsumoto chewed the jerky like it was food prepared by the gods. She was ravenous for more but the kid had nothing more to offer. When she finished eating, the silver haired kid held out his hand. "I'm Ichimaru Gin. Yours?"

"Thanks." she managed to say, still trying to savor the lingering flavor of the rabbit jerky. She wanted to say "for saving my life", but if she sounds too grateful, this strange kid may try to take advantage of her. "I'm Matsumoto Rangiku."

"Nah problem. Say Matsumoto, when's ya' birthday?" asked Gin.

"I don't know." She never encountered this question before. All her life people either told her to get out or, as she entered womanhood, want to get into bed with her. Not one actually cared to know her and where she comes from. Though impossible to pin down precisely, because feelings are shifty like that, it would be around now that Rangiku started looking at Gin with a fondness of sorts.

"Nah problem, either. Today'll be your birthday, Rangiku. Each year 'round this time, we'll remember neither 'us are lonely, 'nymore." And the silver haired kid grinned genuinely, though hard to tell by anyone else.

Finally, our two characters meet. More reviews please! Also, check out my other story if you like this one. It's titled "Turning Points."

Also, don't know what the Japanese term for a katana's handle is. Someone help!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Time Stood Still Part 2(What Matsumoto saw)

Note: The italics are Ichimaru's instruction.

I constantly had to change stuff around so this chapter may show up as constant uploading of a new chapter. Sorry to get anyone's hopes up to those get alerts for this story, but I'm just trying to polish things off that I probably won't see if I kept it in MS Word draft.

Only in adventure stories do our heroes not worry about where the next meal is coming from. Ichimaru's supply of dried goods was nearly emptied but luckily they only had to starve for a day and conveniently, mugged on that day where their energy was at it's lowest.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT, ICHIMARU!" fumed Matsumoto.

"Whoa, whoa, gots some fire there, no?" He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Save it for 'em who took our food and money, Ran-chan."

"You watched idly by while they got away with our goods!" she barked.

"Can't get yo' back forever. Let this be yo' first victory." Ichimaru's grin disappeared and an ominously cold wind blew. "O' yo' first loss. Get our stuff back...Ran-chan." His smile came up again.

Matsumoto's heart skipped a beat and she gulped. Matsumoto has been with Gin for a few years since they first met. She seldom sees him without his signature grin. And those couple of times that she saw him without the grin? They were the times Gin meant business. Ichimaru with his grin is unsettling. Ichimaru without his grin? That's downright horrifying.

She couldn't quite master it yet so she needed a running start. After five seconds, she disappeared from sight and appeared many yards away, the debut of her first use of shunpo. _Will yo' reiatsu behind ya. A flash step's ya basics fo' battle. An' quite fun too. As ya' reiatsu catches up ta'ya' you'll be "spirited", Ichimaru said with a chuckle. Think of it as a rubber band._

At one time, she recalled asking him how he knows all he knows. How he is so damn good at fighting.

_T'is a story for 'nother time. _And that was the end of that.

Rangiku caught up with the thugs in no time. She was all warmed up too, a double-edge sword because it means she's warmed up, but it also means she's a bit spent before the first blow was dealt or received. Still, Ichimaru forced her to cross the Rubicon, willing to sacrifice all their food and money to test how she is doing. And she could not see herself catching up with the people holding their effects without using shunpo.

This was a group session. There's one of her and five of them. "_In a group fight take the leader, if it's obvious, if not, pick the biggest or toughest looking enemy and make him unrecognizable by his mother." Ichimaru said with a grin._Matsumoto picked up a rock the size of her fist, ran a couple more steps to be safe, then pitched projectile at Tall and Ugly holding their knapsacks of possessions. A crack could be heard as the rock collided with his head but the guy is a tougher sucker. He turned around and looked even angrier, ready to put Matsumoto through the ground.

"You fucking bitch, I'll put you in your place!" He reared back to swing his fist.

"Oh, sorry." Matsumoto held up her zanpakuto that was minus a blade. "My sword broke. I surrender." She held up her hands, still holding the handle of her weapon. She laughed nervously. The sheer absurdity of such an action almost threw herself off.

"What the heck-?"

The leader of the bandits did not see this coming at all. "Growl, Haineko!" Matsumoto shouted. A feral snarl was heard, followed by a roar that would make everyone in the mile radius change their pants. As the bandits' bloodlust was rapidly replaced with surprise and best of all, fear, Matsumoto made short work of them and her released zanpakuto finished the rest.

"Our...effects." Matsumoto gasped between breaths. Behind her were the bandits fallen from battle. Though she did not kill any of them, they were heavily injured and won't be going anywhere for hours. She dropped the two knapsacks that they respectively carry on the ground in exhaustion. Ichimaru's smiled opened a little, because his prediction proved correct. She was good enough to take down these guys. And, as much as dried meat for a week tastes like cardboard, cardboard is a better option than starvation hands down. Still, compliments spoil a good pupil. After all, it was how _his _master taught him when he initially appeared in Rukongai. He started to think of the broad-shouldered man with brown hair. Heh. There's time to reminisce later. Gotta strike while the iron is still hot.

Ichimaru jumped down from the branch that gave him a good view of the one-sided takedown. Instead of getting up, he lashed out his rightfoot in a circular motion to sweep Matsumoto off her feet. "Ya' outta breath 'ready?!" She jumped back in obvious surprise and tensed up in a stance dreading the surprise sparring match as Ichimaru moved in for the attack.

-------------------------------

Hours later in a cave somewhere...

Matsumoto's eyes widened. "What's that?" she pointed at the jug and two small cups.

"I see someone's neva had sake before. S'good stuff, bev'rage o' the gods." Ichimaru's grin revealed some teeth again. "Figur'd this is reward as any fo' your efforts today."

Matsumoto thought about getting roughed up by Ichimaru after she roughed up the thugs. None of the injuries she sustained were deep but an attack is an attack. That act threw up a wall in her heart against him. It was a moment of vulnerability and try as she might to not think the worse, that is that Ichimaru would not think twice to hurt her if the opportunity presents itself, she did not feel safe around him.

"T'was tough love." Ichimaru said simply, as if reading her mind. "It's all I kno'. Heh. Dun' mean fo' ya to feel bad. But 'helps me sleep at night...that I help ya' the only way I kno'. If I di-..." Ichimaru's grin faltered. "If I were parted from, ya', I want ta kno', ya in betta' hands than...than before ya' met me." Ichimaru's grin returned. He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Heh, Imma weird one, ain't I?" What's going on, he thought. I'm a stammering idiot around her!

Matsumoto was still grim but his explanation revealed a bit about him, at least in regards to how he views her. "You are weird. But you meant well. Thanks."  
_  
"_That outta tha' way. I got a game._" _The grin and teeth returned. "It's called "Neva' hav' I ever." Here's how it's played..."

Two hours later...

"How is this a game, Ichimaru. I've had one shot, and that was a cheap one. You said "Never have I ever played "Never have I ever."

Ichimaru, quite sloshed by now, just laughed. "T'was an' easy one! Cain't lettit sliiide." He laughed again at his stretching of the syllable.

"Hey, it's not my fault I never been headbutted by a goat while playing mailbox baseball on foot! O-or smoked ice with Heidi Fleiss by a nuclear missile silo!" Matsumoto said, quite flustered that she hasn't really have a chance to do serious drinking.

"Heh...good time, in tha' pas' life o' mine! Ya' turn by tha' way."

"Never have I ever been in love." There was a pause. The festive mood was up in the air and depending on how it lands, gracefully or powerfully, it'll alter the mood dramatically. Matsumoto did not drink. Ichimaru, after a long moment, picked up his shot glass and drank.

This was Matsumoto's turn to smirk. "Want to fill me in on the details?"

"Whoa-whoa, t'is game still goin' on. Gotta phrase it wit' "Never have I ever"! 'Sides, it's my turn. Never have I ever remembered mah past life."

Ichimaru chuckled. He raised the cup then swooned a little. Rangiku's eyes were horrified. "Jus' joshin' ya'. Nah goin' faint, nah when got such a pretty face to keep happy. Heh." Rangiku blushed a little. He wasn't such a bad guy when he's nice. But when he just sits here and grins? That's a creepy sight.

Then out of nowhere he spilled. "Mah pas' life, I'sa sickly kid. Ya' know? Pale. Eyes missin' proper pigments. Trouble breathin'. Thinks called "asthma". Was' married to tha hospital bed pretty much." He chuckled again. "An' I always got ta be on top in that relationship." Matsumoto couldn't help but laugh a little. "Din't kno who mah 'rents were. Doctors say I's hopeles'. Waitin' fo' me ta die. He din't say that tho'. But I could see."

Rangiku didn't know what to say. Funny how this works she thought. From the day she met him, till now, she wanted to know about him. And here he is, talking about something most would not recall or want to. Yet, she was at a loss of words. "I'm sorry to hear." It was cliched but it seemed better than saying nothing.

"Eh, ya' din't do nything. The docs din't care. My foster 'rents couldn't be happier to be rid'a me. But there was this real nice nurse. Saw me 'least once a day. She gav' me this." He pointed to his smile. "I use'd ta scowl like sum orange-haired punk o' sumthin'. But she cared if I liv'd o' die'd an' I made her sad by dyin' and showin' up here. Tha' smile'sa daily reminda' to tell myself that someone, somewhere cares, yer kno'?"

"I...see." She suddenly put two and two together. "Is that why...why you're afraid of death?" She immediately regretted the words. "There he is opening himself up finally and now I have to go and be greedy, wanting to know more."she thought bitterly. "Baka." she muttered to herself.

"Yep!" he answered brightly again. The reaction surprised Matsumoto. She was relieved.

"Well, it's only fair I talk then." Ichimaru was back to himself again, eyes closed, grin wide. She just learned to assume this means he has no problem with what's happening and could go on. "Wish I could recall who I was even just a little bit in my past life. But I can't. I'll start with well, how I started here, in Rukongai. I was at a poor district, somewhere in the mid 70s of Southern Rukongai. My reiatsu is strong enough to cause discomfort to those around me but not enough to scare or use to my advantage. On top of that, heh...I'm well-formed," she said, referring to her breasts and really nice figure. "and if that is not enough to stand out, I have to eat, something not seen as normal."

Ichimaru only grinned when she took the pause to form her thoughts. However, the grin isn't the default one, it seemed to encourage her to continue.

This she said kind of rushed and with her head down. "I traveled at nights to avoid not being seen to not be judged...or be taken advantaged of. I knew I was stronger than average but at the same time, I was lonely. I wished for someone to be nice for once instead of wanting something out of me or shunning me before I got a chance. I broke into granaries, pantries and stores at night. And I ran a lot. I picked the wrong person to steel from when I targeted Daichi's...before you fought those hollows, before you came along, I was on my way to be her concubine." A tear of shame rolled down her face.

"There, there." Ichimaru said, "t'is okay. We're here now. An'...you'll no longer be chosen by your circumstances, but can do the choosing."

"Is that why you work to be so powerful? I can't imagine you being a sickly kid, all this came naturally."

Ichimaru just grinned and took a swig of his untouched shot of sake. "Neva' have I met someone' as special as you." he said when he finished refilling his shot. What he didn't say is, no matter how much he cared about Matsumoto, how much he could help and be important for her, at the end of the night, it was being more powerful that quelled the fear of death at night. The fear that grips him like a ghoul with a white face. The fear that threatens to consume him. It was what the man with the brown hair told him.

The light reflected off his glasses ominously. Ichimaru always believed that not being able to see the eyes make the person hard to trust, it's why he opted to keep his eyes closed most of the time. But this man, the man with the brown hair and broad shoulders, his eyes were covered not from darkness but from too much light. "One person should not contain so much light!" That was one of Ichimaru's first thoughts upon meeting him.

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Author's notes:

- This was a tough chapter to write. I originally had something else in mind and had a lot to say too. However, as I started to wrap up what would have been this chapter, I realized Ran-chan got very little air time in my story thusfar. If I can figure out how to fit what I already wrote to this chapter, the next update should be VERY soon (how many reviews I get is also a factor! )

- Props to writer CarrietheNinja for telling me to write non-stop. She has a great story out called The College Experience, excellent, long IchixRuki fic.


	6. Chapter 6

Since I took more liberties than usual with this chapter, I feel the need to say this is my story and I'm only using Bleach's characters. They don't belong to me.

Chapter 6: Harsh Tutors

Sometime in the past...

Little Ichimaru Gin breathed his last and the next thing he knew, he was looking down at his body lying in bed as the EKG showed a flatline and beeped a flat tone. A chain attached his heart to the heart of the body lying in the bed. He didn't mind death in and of itself, it's a whole lot better than that life of being sick, that life of constantly being a burden. Well, a burden to just about everyone except the nurse who took care of him. The nurse with strawberry blonde hair, with bright blue eyes, and a really nice pair of endowments that he wished he didn't find so enjoyable to look at. It saddened him to die and cause her pain and misery. And he wished like hell that his body was stronger so he did not have to see those eyes sad. He futilely try to rattle his soul chain and make a racket but for the life of him, could not get the kind nurse's attention and thank her for all she's done and that she should not feel sad anymore.

"She can't sense you. You have passed on." said a gentle voice. Yet, his whole body felt like he was hundreds of feet underwater during his worst bout of asthma. He fell to the ground, gasping for breath and struggled to turn around and see the owner of the voice and the possessor of such enormous power. Ichimaru glimpsed the being, he's not sure if he's a man, as a man with short wavy brown hair, glasses and broad shoulders. He did not look menacing but he could see the face being so. And he is a being not to be trifled with.

"You shouldn't linger here." It is then that Ichimaru saw that the man carried a sword and drew it. Before Ichimaru could protest or cry for help, the man used the handle and stamped his forehead with it. A black butterfly flew by after Ichimaru's soul vanished and the man in the white robe did the same.

He appeared on the border of a forest and desert area to find that the man was already there waiting for him patiently. Ichimaru could not get over how unsettling this man is despite how kind he looks. "I am Aizen Sousuke. And you are the first person that I am actually taking this approach because I expect to get a lot of use out of you so mere threats and harming you won't get me very far. Your condition is the first I've seen in my long years as a shinigami captain. You were a sickly child because your reiatsu, your spiritual pressure concentrated around your head, in particular your eyes and respiratory system, explaining the bad asthma. With my help, I could get that reiatsu better distributed. When that happens, I could train you to be a shinigami, and eventually, to be a captain like myself."

"Ah, I see," said Ichimaru.

"I am anything but a selfless man. See, you possess an ability due to your unique reiatsu concentrations. Take a couple of steps back Ichimaru." The silver haired kid did so and as he did, he saw that there was another Aizen standing beside him. "You never saw the illusion I made, did you?" The silver haired kid just smiled and made no response one way or another. "Now step towards the illusion of myself." Ichimaru did so. As he did, he saw that the illusion started to unravel and became nothing altogether. Ichimaru found this phenomenon fascinating.

Aizen continued, "My zanpakuto's ability is to create illusions and operate while my opponents are distracted. But you," he pointed at him, "could pull the rug from under me because of your unique ability. I have big plans for this place you see, plans that most people will object and fight me for. But if I could keep their attentions elsewhere, that makes my day a whole lot easier. And for convenience purposes, there will be way fewer dead people." It was Aizen's turn to step back.

The blade of his katana disappeared and in front of Ichimaru, was the kind woman that took care of him. She was facing him, smiling, alive and well. Ichimaru felt his heart skip a beat upon seeing her again. Suddenly, a blade skewered her through the chest from the back forward. "NO!" Ichimaru yelled in horror. Her doctor's coat stained with blood and her face contorted in horror as she fell, a pool of blood gathering around her. The blade impaling her suddenly pulled out letting her wound gush blood in a fountain. When the bleeding stopped, the body started to animate and flecks of white started to gather around her face, building a mask scarily resembling a skull. She let out a feral snarl and leaped to attack Ichimaru. Believing the illusion to be real, Ichimaru shielded his face and screamed in horror.

"I'm not asking for your cooperation, I am demanding it." Aizen spoke, dissipating the illusion himself. "What she became is called a hollow. They are evil spirits that form when the soul chain is finally gone, the chain that you try to rattle to get that nurse woman's attention. So not only will I kill her, should you get any ideas, I could make her a hollow and have you do the job of exterminating her yourself. Do I have your full cooperation?"

Ichimaru bowed and dropped to one knee. "Yessir, I do. What is it you want from me, taicho?"

What followed were years of relentless regiments to get Ichimaru into good enough shape to obtain and develop shinigami powers. Aizen would give him instructions like be able to shunpo by the time I next get back. Ichimaru dared not find out what Aizen is capable of if he failed. The grisly murder and hollowfication of the kind nurse in his past life is a constant reminder of what he might and can do. When he got his basics down, such as walking on air and flash steps, Ichimaru began to learn combat such as hand-to-hand melee and some kido.

"I am clearing the site of hollows for Las Noches. This is a perfect opportunity for you to obtain your zanpakuto." Aizen reached into his robe and pulled out a fat drawstring bag of white crackers. "Take one and crush it." As Ichimaru followed the order, he felt many dark presences rapidly approaching. When Ichimaru looked up again, Aizen was once again gone. Ichimaru wished like hell that he has a soul slayer of his own. He's seen what a hollow is and without a sword, he does not know if he is yet strong enough to purify one.

Use of hollow bait accomplishes more than one purpose. This portion of Rukongai, the 70th Southern District is unique geography because the barrier between the worlds is especially weak here. The part of Hueco Mundo that Aizen decides to erect Las Noches is right by the 70th District. The hollow bait will then clear out the hollows in the immediate area of the construction site, saving Aizen the effort of killing all of them just to have more to return later. By doing so, these wayward hollows will have a place to go. The second purpose is to give Gin a workout of the abilities Aizen expect him to know. Aizen could also personally guide a stronger hollow than usual through the worlds and punish Gin, should that course of action is ever deemed necessary. The final consequence, unintended by Aizen or Gin, is the sudden hollow population spike in the 70th Southern District. This provides opponents for a certain battle-hungry killer.

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All around were sounds of clamor, a symphony of pandemonium. Swords clashed against other blades, some found their way home in skewering an opponent's flesh. Most of the clashing, especially the skewering was done by one man. This man found a home in this chaos. Where there is fighting, killing, maiming and struggling, that is this man's natural habitat. One man. One man with enough bloodlust to send a nation to war. His name is Zaraki Kenpachi, a name that chills the blood, the name of a man that storytellers by the fireside say, cannot be killed.

Currently, his opponents of choice were a group of bandits right outside the 70th District. Kenpachi feels no need to protect this poor and wretched district. He himself is from the 80th District, a part of Rukongai where people were more akin to savage predators than homo sapiens. However, as Kenpachi senses the nearby spike in hollows, and this group of bandits running from them, he figured a warm up is in good order.

Yet what was goin in Kenpachi's head was he tires of this. He'll never not love killing and fighting, but it's getting routine. There are no real strong opponents and Kenpachi has to zone out for what feels like eons(in reality, two seconds max) before the opponent's sword strikes him, and even then, it's the opponent's hand that bleeds because of the difference in reiatsu. Eighty districts is a long way to get to the center where the captains are. Until then, all this reiatsu will be a burden as he will have power and not use it.

Even now, he's down to last his last two opponents while thinking about this. While lost in thought he killed over twenty bandits armed to the toe with swords, halberds, spears, bows and arrows. All Kenpachi wielded was his jagged sword that's seen better days and seems to scream retirement. But that's more than enough.

The last opponent dropped. The last two put an especially good fight, which perked up Kenpachi a little bit but disappointment set in even harder after skewering both of them. Given time, these bandits, especially the last two would realize what bad habits they have like going for wide attacks instead of shorter quicker ones, looking at the target then striking, or simply being in bad shape, like that last guy was. So what if Kenpachi struck the sword over fifty times in the span of a minute? His shoulders should be strong enough to withstand!

He went to the body of the leader of the bandits, a man larger and in a cape. He would have the money of this little gang. Indeed he did, they guy was quite loaded to carry this much money around. "Ken-chan, why are you sad?" asked little Yachiru.

"Hey, I'm not sad. Just disappointed." replied Zaraki simply. Indeed, sadness was a foreign concept to him, a weak concept. Those who can't fight and end up at the wills of others, THOSE are sad.

"You're sad!" cried Yachiru louder. "You just finished killing, you're not allowed to be sad!" She glared up at him with a pout. It would be cute except for the amount of spiritual pressure she can exert too. It was nothing Zaraki couldn't handle, but it was not something he'll leave alone either.

"There are no strong opponents, Yachiru. I love killing, but they die too fast. I can't do what I enjoy. These pathetics are too weak!"

"Then stop killing!" she exclaimed.

"Huh, but the I can't do what I enjoy!" Zaraki said giving the little girl a sad look.

Yachiru looked down. "Help them" she said quietly. "If you give them time to improve, you will have strong guys, Ken-chan! More playtime!" she said cheerfully as if her moment of solemness was never present.

Zaraki was puzzled. Not kill? But then what else are human beings good for? This new concept started off as a small knock but bit by bit, the suggestion of not killing started to knock Zaraki Kenpachi's core and values out of position. He felt what "weak people" called "confusion", another foreign emotion.

The massacre of the bandits was some time in the afternoon. When the fight was over, there were twenty something dead guys that Rukongai would certainly not miss and that was around early evening. By nightfall though, the warrior and the little girl were in a full-fledged shouting match.

"Whaddya mean not kill? Where's the fun in that?" he shouted in frustration, virtually incapable of thinking outside the box of fighting and bloodshed.

Yachiru shouted back "Strong people help other people be strong! If you kill all the people, who'll be strong!?"

"But-" Kenpachi started to protest.

Yachiru folder her arms across her chest and looked away. Kenpachi walked around to face her. It was kind of cute to watch, except any bystanders would be dead in a second seeing as both beings have extremely high spiritual pressure and are extremely heated against each other. But, had there been anyone to watch, this would have been entertaining. The huge muscled guy feels the need to understand and communicate with a girl that he could probably eat for breakfast. "No, don't look at me. Don't talk." she shouted angrily.

"That's ridic-"Kenpachi started to say.

Yachiru took a deep breath. "I. Said. DON'T TAAAALK!!!" she enunciated in a volume that most adults aren't capable of reaching. Her reiatsu manifested as an angry cat face that glared at Kenpachi almost daring him to say another word. Kenpachi grunted in defeat and exasperation, he himself sitting under a tree.

"Freakin' women." He's now "frustrated", yet another one of those foreign "weak people" feelings. He's encountered a lot of them in one day. Sadness. Disappointment. Followed by confusion, doubt, and finally frustration. The last one was the friendliest of them all, it allowed some space to be angry, but none of them could be solved by drawing a sword and hacking away. He made up his mind that he hates all emotions other than those that come with fighting and killing. They're way too friggin' complex. And they attack in groups too. Stupid unbeatable emotions.

Zaraki Kenpachi, for the first and probably, for the last time in his life, started to think. Somewhere out there, a guy in horns and barbed tail complained about the temperature because hell just froze over. He thought "So, I encounter a strong opponent. I fight strong opponent. While fighting, I see an opening, as usual. So far, so good. All familiar. Do I go for it- YES!- wait, Yachiru just told me no. So the guy will kill me if I don't. Not that I'm scared and he'll probably have to hack away for the next month before my reiatsu gives way. I'll probably lose patience before that- I'm getting sidetracked. So I will hit him if he has an opening, but not lethally? That' crazy-talk! Wait, it may not be. I could knock him around some more!"

Kenpachi paused to smile at the thought. "To hit, but not hitting to kill? Hmm…not sure about that. But that would mean more hits if they're not dead. WOW! THAT I could understand!" His reiatsu flared up right then and there, and the tree started to collapse from the increase in spiritual pressureand would have if not for Kenpachi sitting there preventing it. He does not know that though. "So if I knock him aorund, and he realizes he's open, I'll spare that sucker. It means he can learn, did learn, and if I spare him, I could come back later and fight the same guy but a better guy! So to defeat him, what should I do? I can...knock him out. Knock the air out of him and keep doing so until he has no will to fight. I could break his sword. Can't break his arm though. If I do, he can't get better."

Hours passed as Kenpachi had his little brainstorm. Yachiru is snoring softly, minus the angry pink cat reiatsu, to Kenpachi's relief. Now Kenpachi himself got a headache. He's not used to sitting down and thinking. He fell asleep pretty soon after. He could fight for days and take all kinds of hits and wounds but carry on as if they did not happen. But thinking? For his own sake, and for the sake of anyone around him, he hopes he never has to think about such things ever again. The thinking bout exhausted him so much that Kenpachi did not even notice the tree fell with a crash, waking up all the wildlife in the mile radius except for the sleeping future captain and vice captain.

The next morning, Yachiru was not talking to Kenpachi.

"Oi, Yachiru, what do you want to do?"

She simply looked away.

The truth is, Yachiru was not mad at all that morning. But she needed to make a point to Kenpachi. She never want to see Kenpachi sad again. Besides being a complete mood downer, Kenpachi being sad downright scared her. Powerful as she is, Yachiru is still only a child and as such, is comfort-driven like other children. Bunch of murderers want a piece of her? No problem. She is fast enough to make a lieutenant level shinigami struggle to catch her, she does not have to worry about a bunch of angry people with knives. And what her speed could not handle, she has her abnormally high reiatsu. But a sad Ken-chan? There's nothing in the world that could solve that problem.

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Not too far away, our hero, the skinny, smiley, silver-haired Ichimaru Gin had a regiment to complete. Aizen gave him the drawstring of hollow bait to use up. Sure, Gin could be a slacker and bury the bait somewhere and say he finished but that results in combat inexperience. And inexperience leads to further punishment. Gin, though initially hating this man Aizen does have to thank him. The regiments are making him more powerful by the practice. Today, he could crush a dozen pieces of hollow bait and fought off all these masked creatures no problem.

As soon as he exterminated the last hollow, he crushed 24 pieces of bait. While waiting for the hollows to come swarming, he went to a nearby tree and started doing forearm clashes. The exercise involves hitting his forearms against the trunk of the tree to harden them but his strength is so great now that he is actually starting to knock it down. When the tree fell, he pulled out his utility knife and started making staves as weapons for this upcoming onslaught. His arms and legs are tired and he needs to fight with his zanpakuto eventually. Ichimaru worked himself extra hard today in hopes that he will finally get to see the avatar of his zanpakuto and finally have one of his own.

The reiatsu that Ichimaru felt from the hollows coming was enormous. That was to be expected seeing as he crushed more bait than he ever did before. However, what wasn't expected was he sensed a decrease in population but no decrease in reiatsu. Upon paying more attention to the spiritual pressure, one being is holding all the power. The hollows were joining together to become one!

::Flashback::

_"Say, taicho, there diff'rent types'a hollows or they all the same?"_

_"They're not all the same, Gin. If you fight hollows long enough, you'll encounter huge beings called menos grande. They're hollows form from hollows mixing and devouring one another. A dominant one will control all the combined mass and power of the other's it devoured. They are rare since one dominant will is hard to find, but the exist, and now and then, one will cross over to other worlds. Within the class of menos grande are further divisions but that's for another time."  
_

_"Scary..."_

::End flashback::

Ichimaru felt the excitement of fighting a new and significantly more powerful opponent. However, there is always that part of him that is afraid of dying and all that he worked for will be for naught. But it's too late for such thoughts, like it or not, this colossal being is hot for his blood.

There was a shimmer in the air followed by a slit in the fabric of reality. A huge gaunt white hand reached from the beyond to Rukongai and pulled itself to this reality. The creature was over ten stories high. The trademark white mask and hole in the chest is present. The nose is elongated and pointed and corpse light illuminated the eyes behind the mask. It's movements were slow but unstoppable and Gin prepared for the worst.

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Kenpachi watched from afar. There was one of those really big white masked creatures again and it's opponent is a skinny pale kid with a silver hair. 'Now this is an interesting sight.' Kepachi thought to himself.

Five minutes later...

"Wow, if this fight does not end right now, they'll both have hell to pay!" Kenpachi said in impatience and boredom. The big hollow is slow, and the little kid is weak. The result is neither landing blows, the big hollow because it's too slow to touch the kid, and the kid could not hurt the hollow either because the hits were not getting through. Kenpachi drew his sword and prepared to jump in, facing both of them.

As he did, he felt the hairs stand up on the back of his head. "Now this is new," he said to himself, his sword drawn but he stopped in his tracks. Energy is being gathered by the giant hollow, concentrating around it's mouth. The spiritual pressure increased in the vicinity. Kenpachi smirked to himself. "This is what I'm talking about!" The spiritual pressure is dense, sending just about anyone to the ground gasping for breath, but this is the feeling Kenpachi's been craving, the power that is just lacking in all the fights he's been in.

The red energy blast from the hollow's mouth obliterated everything where the kid was just standing in. However, the kid with the silver hair was not there but in mid-flight toward the mask. While the blast was still going, the silver haired kid took his staff and stabbed out one of the eyes. The hollow's attack immediately stopped, followed by pained howl, covering it's wounded eye. The silver haired boy did not finish. He landed on the pointed nose and proceeded to gouge out the other eye, blinding the hollow before landing lightly on the charred crater the hollow made.

"Ouch, hot n' scary, no?" His feet burned landing on the hot ground.The silver haired kid shunpo'ed outside the crater, beholding his handy-work. "T'is the best 'cud do fo' now. Pissed can't wield my own zanpakuto though...Ah, well, another day then." The silver-haired kid stopped short and turned around.

As the menos turned to retreat back to the abyss it came from, a blade protruded from the back of it's head. The menos started to fall and dissipated to nothingness. "Yo," greeted the spiky-haired Kenpachi. "That was a cop-out of a fight. Let me give you a real one!" With that, Kenpachi charged.

The man known as Zaraki Kenpachi was merciless and tireless. If not for the legions of hollows still coming after the destroyed menos, Ichimaru would have had no openings. Kenpachi took the time to take out the evil spirits getting in the way of their fight, not even minding that Ichimaru took those opportunities to hit him with his staff while Kenpachi's sword is occupied skewering the white-masked opponents.

"What I do mind is how freakin' scared you are!" Kenpachi yelled in a sudden burst of rage. He threw his sword at an especially big hollow and pinned it to the entrance way between Hueco Mundo and Rukongai, effectively using the big hollow as a plug to hold back other incoming hollows.

"Dun' know what yer talkin' bout, Kenpachi." he said with a grin and rushed at him.

Kenpachi greeted the charge with a punch into his mid-section. Ichimaru toppled over gasping for breath. Kenpachi, using his bare hands started wailing away at Ichimaru's exposed back, sending Gin deeper and deeper into the ground with each blow. The blows stopped and he spat on Gin. "You disgust me. All your ability and potential and you still have not obtained your own zanpakuto!? Have you given any thought as to why? It's because you're chickenshit. Each of your movements in a fight scream out "God, I hope I don't die!" Well, if you die, so be it! It's a price you sometimes pay to be in a good fight. It's a chance you take to be stronger than you are! If death comes to claim you, hack and slash until you can't anymore! Until death is bleeding and can't do it's job! I don't care what you do, you won't be stronger than you are if your fears hold you back from what you want!"

Ichimaru was paralyzed, apart from the pain, he felt closer to death than ever before. He felt his heart stop and his breathing following suit as he blacked out. But most painful of all, he saw the truth in this savage man's words and wants to be rid of his weakness.

Gin opened his eyes in a new realm. It was morning in a grove, not unlike the Garden of Eden. The trees were healthy and green and wildlife all around were stirring at the onset of a new day. The scenery and time should be peaceful and innocent yet the atmosphere was anything but. The morning sky was blood red, as if an omen of carnage and bloodshed in the day to come. Infernal affairs were at work.

As he walked through the foliage, he noticed that almost all the animals, the birds and snakes were all heading the same direction, all carrying plant matter. Not knowing what else to do, Ichimaru followed, at the same time curious abt why all the animals are carrying . There, at the clearing of the center of the path, Ichimaru saw the reason for such a gathering...and why they all carried plant matter.

They were building a pyre. Those aren't plants but dried twigs and dead branches. The animals all had something wrong with them too. There was a hole where their hearts should be, and all of their faces wore a white mask. As soon as the last animal deposited the last twig, the hollows stood back in a circle, beholding their handy-work. In the center, tied to a stake was the nurse that took care of him, the one that looked like a carbon copy of Matusmoto Rangiku, but he did not know that yet.

Ichimaru watched this in horror. He wanted to move forward but his body will not budge. His fear was so great actually that he did not notice a pale white snake drop down behind him and slithered up and around his neck until the snake's head was inches away from Ichimaru's face. "Boo!" it said playfully.

Ichimaru screamed and fell backward. He hushed immediately, suddenly fearing that the mob would throw him on the pyre too. "Afraid they'll burn you too?" the snake asked as if reading his mind.

"H-How'd ya' kno' that?" he asked the snake. "An' who are ya' nyhow?" Ichimaru swallowed nervously. He hated himself right now. He normally hides behind his slang talk and grin. It took him all his effort to at least maintain the slang, but he could not bring himself to smile. The one good thing in his life is about to die, there's a snake around his neck and it's talking to him. On top of all that, his greatest fear, not just death but the death of the nurse, is keeping him from saving her from these hollows, beings that he fought countless times and could dispatch with his eyes closed...literally.

"Heh. Know what? I won't mention the fact that you should know who I am, or how you should have your zanpakuto already, or ask how does a future death god fear death. I should, but I won't. In fact, I'll hand you the cake. You just have to eat it. I am Shinsou, your zanpakuto's avatar. That over there is your greatest fear." The white snake shifted his head to the front, because Ichimaru and the snake are still hiding behind a tree. "All these surrounding her, the one hollows you fight all the time, are manifestations of your fear. Your zanpakuto is there, on top of the stake. Use it to get your girlfriend out of her plight and things will be moving along. Oh, and if you don't, the one with the flint will use your wakizashi to create the spark and light her up. Better get movin'." With that the snake just slithered away.

"B-but..." Ichimaru started to say but it was pointless. What more can he ask for? Shinsou spelled everything out for him. He just has to cut her free.

Before any other thoughts could take over, Ichimaru ran toward the pyre. He expected the hollows to give him a hard time, and he was ready to send them to hell if any of them get in his way. However, they did not. In fact, as if sensing his presence, each hollow got out Ichimaru's way but more than that, each of them bowed. With that obstacle out of the way, his walk became more confident. That confident walk sped up till it was almost a jog. The jog sped into a run. The run to a sprint. Her life depends on him. He could not dally any longer. He got there just in time because Ichimaru saw that in another part of this really large crowd, the hollows were being thrown about as someone is forcing their way to the center. Ichimaru grasped his zanpakuto and not a second later because another hand grabbed nothing but air as Ichimaru's hand moved away. Ichimaru looked up at the owner of the other hand.

It was Aizen Sousuke. "She is to die for her crimes. Give me the wakizashi." Aizen said gently.

Ichimaru drew his sword and charged to stab him. Aizen easily sidestepped, stuck a foot out to trip him. As Ichimaru fell, Aizen with the skill of a pickpocket took the zanpakuto away from the falling hand. As Ichimaru fell, Aizen took out a flint and used Gin's zanpakuto to make a spark. Within three hits, a fire was started and all around Ichimaru, flames went up.

Ichimaru was not afraid anymore. He was angry now. Angry at the man that just started the fire. Angry that the snake lied to him. With a cry, Ichimaru tackled Aizen as his back was turned. Upon getting close to Aizen, he dissipated and the Gin's zapakuto clattered on the ground. He wasted no time being confused and needing to know what was going on. He grabbed the sword, cut the ropes loose and freed the nurse. He felt himself black out again. The last words he heard were "Next time, don't take so long to ask for me...if you want my help, say "Ikorose"..."

Gin's eyes reopened back in Rukongai. The world of pain Gin felt suddenly came crashing down on him, causing him to cringe. Kenpachi was walking away and stopped suddenly, sensing that Gin is stirring. "Heh? You're still alive-"

"Shinsou, Ikorose." Gin barely held up the sword. He expected the snake to appear and do something or tell him how to defeat this tireless fighter but instead the sword did him one better and shot forward like a bullet. Kenpachi held up his blade to block and the sword continued to push Zaraki away. The sword stopped extending at some point but it was too far away to tell. Ichimaru felt the reiatsu of Kenpachi continue to travel even as his sword returned to normal length.

"Wait for me, Ken-chan!" yelled a little girl with pink hair seemingly appearing out of nowhere and running after him. Ichimaru didn't ask questions. He's satisfied with leaving this battle alive but most of all, finally getting his zanpakuto.

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Long Author's Note:

- I know in the explanations, Aizen's illusions are a result of hypnosis from his zanpakuto's ability but here, I made the illusions creations of Aizen's reiatsu.

- I gave Ichimaru a dissipating ability after watching the famous fight between him and Hitsuguya. Remember the dragon that attacked Gin dead on and just seem to be absorbed? I saw that and thought, if I gave Gin the ability to disperse reiatsu, he would be a threat to Aizen because he won't see the illusions and give endless opposition if Ichimaru managed to get followers to fight Aizen. So long story short, Ichimaru's reiatsu has the ability to disrupt other people' reiatsu if he's close enough, and in time, he can disrupt at will thus making him a valuable ally because he would otherwise be a dangerous opponent.

- Basically, I took a lot of liberties with Ichimaru. I try to keep him as true to the original as possible but where there is space to offer my own explanation and be creative, I won't pass the opportunity. That said, I still welcome feedback and response. No flames please, but if it's something you don't like, please explain.

- C'mon guys, I got ONE REVIEW(not to downplay or not appreciate Waya.Y because I do, it's the rest of you that read but don't say anything!) from my previous chapter! Please, give me a review if you read it. I want the story to work but been struggling to finish. It'll be great to get some moral support! I know none of you have anything to do on a Saturday night but read and write fanfictions so review. Oh wait, that's me...the bum at home reading and writing instead of having a life! P Heh...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- Turn and Turnabout

Despite her exhaustion and sores from getting their affects back from last night's bandits, Matsumoto got up before Gin did and started to get breakfast ready. The pair have made it through the deserts they first met in and found themselves, broken by the occasional town, to be in wooded and forested areas. After foraging for berries and gathering dried firewood, she got a fire up and roaring in no time and almost an hour later, smoked meat and a kettle of boiling water started the morning off for Ichimaru and Matsumoto.

"Ran-chan, Ran-chan." Ichimaru said the following morning over yet another breakfast of green tea and beef jerky. "Yer' a strong fighter, I'll give ya' that."

"Thanks. It had me beat though." The thought of the fight woke up all sorts of pains. She took very few hits, they hurt too, but more came from overextending her own strength.

"I'm sure."He drew his soul slayer and cut another piece of jerky and chewed contently. "How are ya' feelin' this morning?"

"Tired and sore. But I'll manage." Matsumoto replied.

"That's good to hear." Ichimaru said simply and sipped his green tea. "Ikorose, Shinsou." Gin's soul slayer shot toward Matsumoto. A second later, she would have been stuck in a similar manner as the breakfast they were having but a flashstep later, Matsumoto Rangiku was standing in a tree and jumping through the branches, exploiting Gin's sword's weakness of hitting only one target at a time.

"What are you doing, Gin!?" Matsumoto demanded. The unexpected flashstep and the exhaustion from last night's fight took a toll on her physical prowess.

"Neva' let yer' guard down, Ran-chan. Not all yer' enemies will fight fair. Very quick though, I'll give ya' that." Gin retracted his sword from the ground and pointed at the tree Matsumoto hid in.

"Ya' need to be in better shape, Ran-chan. And furthermore." He shot his soul slayer at the tree's trunk and cut it down. "Ya'gotta keep movin' in a fight-"

"GROWL, HAINEKO!" A cloud of really fine ash shot toward Gin. He flashstepped away, the tree he hid behind shattered.

After the dust settled, the ash started to cut at Gin's throat. A forty foot long blade also extended from Gin's sword and made enough contact to draw blood on Matusomoto's throat also.

"Wheew. Sca-ry." Gin said and retreated the blade. Matsumoto waited till he sheathed it and put it on the ground in mock surrender sheath her own blade.

"What'll you do better next time around, Ran-chan?" Gin asked as he walked back to the site of breakfast.

"I don't know." She was shaking yet again, not just in exhaustion but also in fear of this pale, skinny, silver haired youngster. She got lucky this time around but he was insanely fast and she very much believed that if he could have a blade on her throat so precisely between the commotion of a falling tree and her own attack, he could have shot her out of the same tree easy as picking a leaf from a sapling.

"Well, look back at what happened so far, Ran-chan. What'd I do? I used surprise. I used your fear against ya'. Your sword's ash form had me, but if I was an assassin to kill ya' no matter the price, I'd have ya' too. There's more of course, but we'll work on giving ya' the ability to capture."

"To capture?" Matsumoto was puzzled.

"To capture." Ichimaru said again. "Six rods of prison light." Followed up Gin, not missing a beat.

Six wide but thin blades of light pinned Matusmoto suddenly. "You asshole! What's the matter with you this morning!? Gin, you better make sure I don't get out of this or I'll snap your puny little neck you motherf-"

Gin's blade was drawn and on Matsumoto's neck again. "Watch yer' words, Ran-chan." Gin's grin widened.

"W-what are you doing!?"

"Jus' playin'!" Gin sheathed his sword and patted Matsumoto's back casually. "Ya'll learn this spell today." He chuckled lightheartedly and added. "But till ya' do, why don't ya' be a good girl and stay captive, hm?"

"Just where do you come off thinking-" The six rods of prison light squeezed harder on Matsumoto's mid-section causing her to gasp and quiet her tirade.

"Carriage of thunder…this is the part ya' repeat after me, Ran-chan."

"Carriage of thunder." Matsumoto said reluctantly. And until afternoon, Matsumoto learned the capture spell "Six Rods of Prison Light".

As the sun was past it's highest point in the sky and started to lean toward the west, Gin asked her "Now recite the whole incantation. If you get it right this time, we can get water and call it an early day today, Ran-chan. Tis' all up to you now." Gin said with humor.

"Carriage of thunder."

Pause. There was some muttering as Matsumoto tried to recall the incantation.

Bridge of a spinning wheel.

Pause. Yet more muttering.

With light,

This time, there was no pause. Matusmoto instead said "Divide this into six!" followed by a

"Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south*!"

Gin's smile and good humor disappeared as six rods of light held Gin in place. As the capture spell took hold, Matsumoto dropped to the ground, still held captive by Gin's spell, and had her back and open palms facing Gin. The Shot of Red Fire Attack spell formulated in her palm and raced toward the now incapacitated Gin.

An explosion of dust and burnt fabric blotted out Matsumoto's view for a moment. She expected quick and swift retribution for her ruse and underhanded tactic but instead, was greeted by freedom as the six rods of light were gone and a proud, happy, though badly burnt Gin greeted her.

Ichimaru Gin clapped his hands slowly and deliberately. "Well played, Ran-chan. Well played. Danku." The prison beams holding Gin captive vanished. He shrugged. "Ya' got me!"

"You deserved it, mister!" Matsumoto said with a vindictive gleam.

Ichimaru laughed sheepishly. "Yah, Guess I did, didn't I? You're my first and probably best pupil, Ran-chan."

"Now you're just kidding around." Matsumoto said but could not help feeling just a little flattered.

"Do I look like I am?" Gin said and pointed at his face. His signature grin still there, his eyes, still closed. Both of them laughed easily again like old friends who have known each other inside and out.

"What do you mean by first pupil?" Matsumoto asked Gin.

"I am going to be captain over there." He pointed towards the middle of Soul Society. "I got lots to do before I can make it tho'."

"Gin, if you have lots to do, then it's even harder for me!" Matsumoto replied solemnly.

"Ya'll be just fine, Ran-chan. You know to trick an opponent, you can spot openings, and you combine what you'll learn. You'll be going places, Ran-chan. Besides, the things ya have to do are not…the same as the things I have to do."

Matsumoto Rangiku did not pay that last statement much mind at the time later that night, she found herself thinking about what those different things are. She dismissed the thought as being idle and keeping her from sleep yet in the backburner of her mind, not knowing what things Gin was referring that needed to be done bothered her.

The man with glasses and brown hair got up from his chair and stepped to a window and opened it. The room he is standing in is a laboratory with hollows and shinigami held captive in large glass containers. He recently finished his work and had the energy in him to do more but like Gin and Rangiku, chose to end on an early night.

A black butterfly flew in and landed on the brown haired man's finger. "It is time, Ichimaru Gin." He said to the butterfly. It flew out the window again as a breeze blew inside the otherwise hermetic laboratory.

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*- The last part of Hadou 31's Incantation. The entire incantation is "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bares the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south!"

What do you all think? It took me a while to write this because I could not see where to take the story after a while. I am at the moment working on another GinxRan fanfic right now and should have a first chapter up in the near future. Please rate and review everyone!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8- Beneficial Arrangements

"Yer orders, captain?" Ichimaru knelt on one knee, fist on the ground. His posture is one of servitude and servanthood, yet his expression and tone was one of amicability, and perhaps, equality.

The brown haired man chuckled. "No one is around, Gin. Forget the formalities, you know we're peers."

"Aizen, yer orders?" Ichimaru stood up.

"My reiatsu's too much for the task. Here's the bait." Aizen tossed Gin what looked like a pouch of white crackers. "It's slow work, but no less important."

"Consider it done, captain." With that, Gin flashstepped away.

Aizen shook his head and chuckled. "Habits die hard."

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"What do you mean "get a job"?" asked Matsumoto tensely. She didn't want to betray fear of the unknown or express attachment to her now constant closed-eyed companion.

"It's like this." Gin's smile widened. "Learnin's toolmakin', if ya will. Ya learn and ya learn, but it's pretty pointless if ya don't use what ya learn, kno' what I mean?"

"No?" Matsumoto raised an eyebrow.

"Ran-chan, ya know how to walk, right?"

"Yeah? Where are you going with this?"

"Well, it's pretty stupid ta kno' how to walk but still cry and throw a fit everytime yer hungry, right?" Gin laughed at his own comment and said in a lower, but definitely audible voice. "woulda left ya a long time ago if ya did."

"You want me to get a job so you can leave me here!?" Matsumoto scowled loudly.

Gin continued to walk but put his hands in his pocket and pulled out three coins and two crumpled bills. He stopped in front of a sake bar. "We got nah money, Ran-chan."

FWAP! A roundhouse kick was inches away from impacting with Gin's midsection as he dodged the blow. "LIKE HELL YOU DON'T!" The kick, while not successful in inflicting pain, was not fruitless either. Out of Ichimaru's long sleeves came a pouch of money. Matsumoto dove to get the coins, but not before Gin used his sword's shikai to push the loot out of reach. The scuffle started to draw attention, and would have formed into a full spectacle if not for four men running out of the bar.

"QUICK! CATCH THEM! THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS ARE DINING AND DITCHING!" Rangiku stopped taking shots at Gin and looked at the barkeeper yelling for the miscreants to be caught.

"Should ya really be fightin' me? Those criminals are about ta deprive that hardworking man his keep. Could ya let that slide?" Gin whispered in her ear.

"This ain't over, Gin."

"Two for the each of us?" Gin suggested. Matsumoto flashstepped away, hot on the fleeing men's heels. Ichimaru on the other hand took a few steps back and drew his sword. "Ikorose, Shinsou."

The blade pointed at the direction of the running men's direction glowed white and shot forward, a beam of light illuminating dim street. At the end of the street, a slower man dove to the side to avoid the blade, tripped over several garbage cans, and caused a loud racket as cans rattled against each other and on the hapless delinquent. The blade's work is not done however. The blade gashed open a wide, but shallow would the upper leg of a faster runner, causing him to cry out in pain fall. Matsumoto, not willing to be shown up by how quickly Gin caught his two crooks, relentlessly chased down her quarry as well.

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"I could not thank you two enough for catching them!" the stout, balding bartender said to Matsumoto and Ichimaru. "How could I ever thank you two?!"

Matsumoto humbly smiled and told him it was nothing, crooks shouldn't get away with drinking and not paying.

Gin, however, had a proposal. "Let us work fer ya. I think what ya just saw's a testament to our abilities. We could run down non-payin' customers when they come around. This looks like a nice place. Shame ta see it become otherwise, right?"

The bartender was puzzled. "And if the customers behave?"

Ichimaru chuckled. "Wit' my smile, it's impossible fer me to be a bad waiter." Ichimaru motioned to Matsumoto. "And wit' her figure..." (Matsumoto blushed)...it's impossible fer her ta be a bad bartender. Ran-chan an' I've been lookin' fer work. We could make this arrangement a mutually benificial one."

Upon realizing this, the bartender exclaimed they are hired.


End file.
